Round cornered box with tray insert



3 W35 1H. HERMAN! MEME ROUND CORNERED BOX WITH TRAY INSRT Filed March 9,1955 K INVENTOR.

12 NRY HERMHNI 15 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES ROUND CORNERED BOX WITH TRAY iINSERT' Henry Hermani, Baltimore, Md., assigner to The Tin DecoratingCompany of Baltimore, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New JerseyApplication March 9, 1935, SerialNo. 10,292

8 Claims.

My present invention relates to improvements in receptacles or boxes andespecially, though not exclusively, to metallic receptacles or boxessuch as commonly used for packaging medicinal tablets or the like, andwherein the body of the receptacle is' provided with rounded or curvedcorners.

Prior to my invention, in packaging medicinal tablets or equivalentarticles, it has been the general practice to stack the tablets orarticles in vertical piles, each pile containing a limited numberoftablets or articles according to the thickness thereof, and the depthof the container or box. This method of packaging tablets or similararticles entails the objection of limited capacity, that is, the area ofthe receptacle is not completely utilized for the storage of a maximumnumber of tablets or similar articles. While this objection does notparticularly obtain in the case of square cornered receptacles, it doesin the case of round cornered receptacles, because the latter do notpermit the insertion of the tablets on edge and in parallel rows acrossthe receptacle, due to the fact that the rounded corners prevent aliningof the tablets when arranged on edge, as will become hereinafter moreapparent.

While it is possible to arrange tablets or simi- :lar articles onedge-and` in parallel rows across `be seen in Patent No. 948,122,showing a sheet metaly box having square corners provided by aseamingoperation. It is, therefore, most desirable to have roundcornered containers produced by a drawing operation, and presenting asmooth surface all around the box or container so that the same may beattractively and uniformly deco- `rated.

with the foregoing in mind, the pnmcipai` general object of my inventionis to provide what may be termed an adapter, in the nature of an insertsomewhat similar to a tray, which is cheap and easy to manufacture,applied with facility, and which adapts the interior of around corneredreceptacle of the character mentioned, to the reception of rows oftablets or similar articles standing on edge. Y The foregoing object isaccomplished, as hereinafter pointed out in detail, by providing theirimanner, that is, one tablet disposed on the other, 'but such mannerof packaging does not fully sert of such a nature as to compensate forthe rounded corners of the receptacle and to provide parallel channels,each adapted to maintain the tablets or similar articles' in parallelrows, and providing in connection with opposite Walls of 5 thereceptacle adjacent the `rounded corners thereof, right-angled corners.

The foregoing and all of the objects and advantages of the inventionwill become more apparent and will be pointed out during the course 1olVof the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, inwhich,-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box or container of the round corneredtype, with the cover opened andfshowing one form of tray or adapter 15yembodying my invention inserted within the body of the receptacle;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,and illustrating in dot and dash lines tablets or similar articlesarranged 20 within the receptacles;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a slight modication of theinvention, in that the channels of the tray or adapter are curvedinstead of squared;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, showing a tray or adapterembodying the invention, but devoid of channel formation;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a receptacle such as shown in Fig. l,having therein an adapter or tray constructed in accordance with any ofthe embodiments of the invention and showing tablets arranged on edgeand in `straight parallel rows therewithin; and v Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the tray or r adapter shown in Fig. 3, that is, withthe curved channels.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 'l designates generally the lidor cover of the receptacle, the body of which is designated generally 4by the numeral 8, and which has the rounded corners 9. Of course the lidor cover 'l may be hinged to the body or may be of the slip-cover type,and as shown, has a marginal flange also provided with rounded cornersI0 to fit over the corners 9 of the body 8. Obviously, the receptacleembodying the body 8 and cover 9 with the rounded corners 9 and lllmight well receive tablets or similar articles arranged in stacks orpiles in usual utilize the capacity of the container. Therefore, inorder to fully utilize the area of the container or box by arrangingtablets or similar articles ,therein in parallel rows, and on edge,Irprovide a tray T which frictionally ts within the body 8.

The tray or adapter T constructed in accordance with my invention isgenerally of U-shape, and is preferably slightly longer than the innerlongitudinal dimension of the box, so that a good rictional ilt will beobtained to maintain the tray in place when opening and closing the lid.As will be noted, the tray or adapter T is preferably constructed of asingle sheet of metal, which, in Figs. 1 and 2, is shown crimped asindicated at I I, to form upstanding ribs spaced from each other andfrom the end Walls I2 to provide square channels to receive the tablets.The upper ends of the walls I2 are curved outwardly and downwardly,providing flanges I3, which frictionally engage against the inner facesof the end walls of the body 8. The amount or extent of curvature of thewalls I2 at their top, that is, the distance between the ilanges I3 andthe end walls I2, corresponds substantially to the curvature of therounded corners 9 of the body. In other words, the extent or amount ofcurvature of the upper ends of the walls I2 of the tray or adapterdepends on the size of the containers and the curvature of the roundedcorners so that, as shown in Fig. 1, the ends of the walls I2 will formwith the front and back walls of the body 8 right-angles, as indicatedat Id. Also as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, the upper corners of the trayor adapter are beveled or cut away as at I5, to an extent or an amountdetermined by the curvature of the corners 9, so that the tray willsnugly and neatly ilt within the body 8, almost as an integral partthereof, and not only presenting a neat appearance, but facilitatinginsertion of the trays to form square corners I4 between the walls I2and the front and back walls of the body 8.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the channelsformed by the walls I2 and ribs I I have flat bottoms especially adaptedto receive square or angular tablets. However, this is not essential tothe practice of the invention because, as shown in Fig. 3, the bottom ofthe tray may be formed with curved channels I6 provided by bending thematerial forming the bottom upwardly to form curved ribs I1 and curvedchannels. Otherwise, the construction, character and use of the trayshown in Fig. 3 is tne same as that of Figs. 1 and 2, but is especiallyadapted and constructed to receive circular tablets. Y

As previously mentioned, the tray shown in Fig. 6 is the same as thatshown in Fig. 3, and it will be noted that the anges I3 are of lesswidth than the bottom or body of the tray proper, due to the fact thatthe upper corners are beveled or cut away, as previously explained andfor the reason given.

In Fig. 4 is shown a further modification wherein the tray has nochannels but merely a ilat bottom I8 on which any type or shape oftablets may be arranged on edge and in rows, as in the case of anordinary square cornered receptacle or box. This vis due to the factthat the tray has the same characteristics, except for the lack of theribs dening channels on the bottom, as the trays of Figs. 1-3. In otherwords, under all forms of the invention the trays have their uppercorners beveled or cut away according or corresponding to the curvatureof the corners of the receptacle to neatly and snugly i-lt therein,andare provided with flanges I3 spaced from the walls I2 a distance tocompensate for the curvature of the corners of the receptacle to providethe formation of right angles between the walls I2 and the front andback walls of the receptacles, so that tablets of any shape andcharacter may be arranged in straight and parallel rows within thereceptacles, as shown in Fig. 5.

It should be obvious from the foregoing that my invention affords theuse of boxes having corners rounded interiorly and exteriorly, which maybe neatly and attractively decorated, to contain tablets or the likearranged on edge in straight parallel rows, by providing an insert whichslightly shortens one interior dimension of the boxes while making theinterior of the box rectangular, that is, with right angled cornersfacilitating insertion of the tablets on edge in straight rows.Furthermore, no separate means is necessary to maintain the inserts orfalse bottoms in place.

l. A receptacle for the purpose described coinprising, a body havingrounded or curved corners at the junction of its side and end Walls, atraylike member in said body having at opposite ends thereof upstandingwalls connected at their tops to depending flanges, said walls andflanges being spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to thectuvature of the corners of the body, and the upper corners of the traybeing cut away or beveled to ilt across the curved corners of the boxwith said flanges engaging opposite walls of the body and the upstandingwalls of the tray forming substantially right angles with other oppositewalls of the containers.

2. A receptacle for the purpose described comprising, a body havingrounded corners at the junctions of its side and end walls, a tray-likemember in said body having at opposite ends thereof upstanding wallsconnected at their tops to depending ilanges, said walls and flangesbeing spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to thecurvature of the corners of the body, and the upper corners of the traybeing cut away or beveled to fit across the curved corners of the boxwith said flanges engaging opposite walls of the body and the upstandingwalls of the tray forming substantially right angles with other oppositewalls of the containers, said tray being formed of resilient materialand of greater length than the container whereby when it is insertedsaid flanges frictionally engage said rst opposite walls to hold thetray in place within the receptacle.

3. A sheet metal receptacle of the character described comprising, abody drawn up from a blank and having curved or rounded cornersconnecting the side walls thereof, a tray-like member in said body andhaving upstanding walls at opposite sides or ends thereof, saidupstanding walls being bent outwardly and downwardly to form dependingilanges, the ends of said flanges being cut away or beveled to t acrosssaid rounded corners of the body, and said tray being of dimensionssubstantially corresponding to the inner dimensions of the body wherebysaid ilanges will engage opposite walls of the body to hold it therein.

4. A sheet metal receptacle of the character described comprising, abody drawn up from a blank and having curved or rounded cornersconnecting the side walls thereof, a tray-like member in said body andhaving upstanding walls at opposite sides or ends thereof, saidupstanding walls being bent outwardly and downwardly to form dependingflanges, the ends of said flanges being cut away or beveled to fitacross said rounded corners of the body. said tray being of dimensionssubstantially corresponding to the inner dimensions of the body wherebysaid flangeswill engage opposite walls of the body to hold it therein,and the bottom of the tray being provided with upstanding ribssubstantially parallel to said upstanding walls and each other to formchannels for the purpose specied.

5. A receptacle for the purpose described comprising, a body havingrounded or curved corners at the junctions of its side and end Walls, atray-like member in said body having at opposite ends thereof upstandingwalls connected at their tops to depending flanges, said walls andflanges being spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to thecurvature of the corners of the body, and the upper corners' of thertraybeing cut away or beveled to t across the curved corners of the box withsaid flanges engaging opposite walls of the body, the upstanding walls`of the tray forming substantially rightangles with other opposite wallsof the container,V and the bottom of the tray being provided withupstanding ribs substantially parallel to said upstanding walls and eachother to form channels for the purpose speciiied.` f

6. As a new article of manufacture for use in adapting round corneredreceptacles ofthe character described to hold tablets arranged instraight parallel rows, a tray-like member having upstanding walls atopposite ends or sides thereof, the tops of said walls being bentoutwardly and downwardly to form depending flanges in spaced relation tothe upstanding walls, and the ends of said iianges where joined to thewalls being cut away to t across the curved corners of the receptacles.

'7. A box having interior and exterior rounded corners and meansremovably mounted therein for shortening the interior dimensions of thebox a distance corresponding substantially to the curvature of therounded corners of the box body.

8. A box having interior and exterior rounded corners and meansremovably mounted therein for shortening the interior dimensions of thebox in one direction and for providing angular corners therein, saidmeans comprising a false bottom having upstanding walls at its oppositeends each of which is provided with an outwardly extending flange, saidflanges engaging the inner faces of the opposite end walls of the box tohold said false bottom in place, and said false bottom being providedwith spaced ribs parallel to said upstanding walls and to each otherproviding channels across said bottom to hold tablets on edge and instraight rows, the dimensions of the flanges being such as to positionthe upstanding walls away from the end walls of the box a distancecorresponding substantially to the curvature of the rounded corners ofthe box body.

HENRY HERMAN'I.

